The court
forthwith
is ordered all to close.
Marvell - Poems
What frosts to fruits, what arsenic to the raty.
What to fair Denham mortal chocolate.
What an account to Carteret, that and more,
A parliament is to the chancellor.
So the sad tree shrinks from the morning's eye.
But blooms all night and shoots its -branches
high;
So at the sun's recess, again returns
The comet dread, and earth and heaven bums.
Now Mordaunt may within his castle tower
Imprison parents, and their child deflower.
The Irish herd is now let loose, and comes
By millions over, not by hecatombs ;
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OP MARVELL. 223
And now, now the Canary patent may
Be broached again for the great Holy-day.
See how he reigns in his new palace culminant,
And sits in state divine like Jove the fulminant.
First Buckingham that durst 'gainst him rebel,
Blasted with liglitning, struck with thunder fell.
Next the twelve commons are condemned to
groan,
And roll in vain at Sisyphus's stone.
But still he cared, whilst in revenge he braved,
That peace secured, and money might be saved.
Gain and revenge, revenge and gain, are
sweet ;
United most, when most by turns they meet
France had St. Albans promised, (so they sing)
St. Albans promised him, and he the king.
The court forthwith is ordered all to close.
To play for Flanders, and the stake to lose.
While chained together, two ambassadors
Like slaves shall beg for peace at Holland's
doors.
This done, among his Cyclops he retires
To forge new thunder, and inspect their fires.
The court, as once of war, now fond of peace.
All to new sports their wonted fears release.
From Greenwich (where intelligence they hold)
Comes news of pastime martial and old.
A punishment invented first to awe
]Masculine wives transgressing nature's law ;
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224 THE POEMS
Where when the brawny female disobeys,
And beats the husband, till for peace he prays.
No concerned jury damage for him finds,
Nor partial justice her behaviour binds ;
But the just street does the next house invade.
Mounting the neighbour couple on lean jade.
The distaff knocks, the grains from kettle fly.
And boys and girls in troops run hooting by.
Prudent antiquity ! that knew by shame.
Better than law, domestic broils to tame ;
And taught the youth by spectacle innocent :
So thou and I, dear Painter, represent
In quick cffisyi others' faults ; and feign.
By making them ridiculous, to restrain ;
With homely sight they chose thus to relax
The joys of state for the new peace and tax.
